What to Do

Ready to take action to support music education in public schools?

NAfME members and staff work together to preserve and expand access to music education for all students. We strive to ensure that schools, legislators, policy makers, parents, and the media understand the critical role that music plays in a world-class education.

In 2014, NAfME introduced our new advocacy brand and campaign, Broader Minded. Broader Minded is a new approach to music education advocacy that articulates the intrinsic, unique benefits of music study. Today’s educational environment emphasizes quantifiable achievement measures, and gauging student progress and learning is clearly important. At the same time, the true mission of education lies in shaping the students behind the scores. Even data that indicate positive links between engagement with music and academic achievement only show a part of the bigger picture. Music also shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them. It allows for deep engagement with learning; and nurtures assets and skills such as creativity, discipline, curiosity, and motivation that contribute significantly to success after school. In other words, music helps develop the student behind the score.

This is the broader-minded argument for music education. Click here to learn more about Broader Minded, and what you can do to help preserve music programs where you are and nationwide.